Swimsuit with attached float



J y 1964 F. M. PURSLEY ETAL 3,141,130

SWIMSUIT WITH ATTACHED FLOAT Filed May 9, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Florence M. Purs/ey Norman E. Parsley INVENT0R$- 1mm BY um, 23%

y 1964 F. M. PURSLEY ETAL 3,141,130

SWIMSUIT WITH ATTACHED FLOAT Filed May 9, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Florence M. Purs/ey Norman 8. Purs/ey IN VEN TORS BY m,

United States Patent 3,141,180 SWIMSUIT WITH ATTACHED FLOAT Florence M. Parsley and Norman B. Pursley, Gracewood, Ga. Filed May 9, 1962, Ser. No. 193,434 4 Claims. (Cl. 9-334) The present invention generally relates to a novel and improved construction of a swimsuit and more particularly a swimsuit primarily adapted for but not limited to use by children and having a float attached to the swimsuit in a novel manner.

Various types of lifejackets, swimming vests and the like are available commercially. However, such devices generally are uncomfortable to children of all ages and especially when it engages the under surfaces of the arms or the like during swimming causing chafing and other discomfort. Very small children receive very little benefit from such devices since they are usually much too large and cumbersome for small children. Further, as soon as a child egressed from the water, such devices were usually removed and quite often, the children forget to replace them when they again enter the water. A belttype float is also available but this too is easily removed and quite often is not used. Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to construct a swimsuit having a belt-type float attached directly thereto so that the float cannot be removed from the swimsuit and at the same time the belt is retained in optimum position for use as a float so that the float is comfortable and does not rub the arms and become unwieldy.

The belt-type float incorporated into the swimsuit is preferably of a foam plastic material and the float may be covered with the same material as the swimsuit thus providing an attractive appearance with the exterior of the float being provided with a detachable belt for retaining the float belt in close proximity to the Waist region of the wearer.

The swimsuit with float attached of the present invention is not only comfortable while in a body of water but is also comfortable when the children are playing around the body of water such as around a swimming pool or the like thereby eliminating the danger of children accidentally falling into the water without any float which is of considerable moment especially when children are playing alongside of a relatively deep body of water or on a boat or the like. The float may be attached to a swimsuit that is styled either for boys or girls and may be used by persons that are incapable of swimming as well as those that can swim as a safety device. Some children are afraid of the water and find it quite diflicult to learn how to swim and this float attached directly to the swimsuit would provide them with a feeling of security thus enabling them to more easily learn to swim and also enjoy various water sports and recreation without any fear whatsoever. Also, the swimsuit with the float attached would enable children subject to convulsive seizures and the like to also enjoy water sports and swimming activities which would aid in physiotherapy treatment of such children.

One of the primary features of the present invention is the construction of a swimsuit having a float attached which is adapted for use with various types and styles of swimsuits, easy to incorporate into the swimsuit, neat in appearance, compact, easy to connect and disconnect 3,141,180 Patented July 21, 1964 when donning or removing the swimsuit and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the swimsuit of the present invention with the float attached thereto as viewed from the front;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but illustrating the rear of the swimsuit and float;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the swimsuit with the ends of the float being disconnected with portions thereof broken away;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 44 of FIGURE 2 illustrating the relationship of the swimsuit and float; and

FIGURE 5 is a detailed sectional view illustrating the manner in which the float is attached to the swimsuit.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the swimsuit of the present invention while the numeral 12 generally designates the float attached directly to the swimsuit. As advised, the swimsuit may be of any suitable style and configuration and may be either a girls style swimsuit as illustrated or a boys type swimsuit. In any event, the swimsuit 10 includes a fabric panel 14 having leg openings 16 at the bottom edge thereof and having shoulder straps 18 at the top thereof. In a boys style swimsuit, the shoulder straps 18 would be eliminated as would the portion of the fabric above the waist region of the wearer. In the rear of the fabric panel 14, the swimsuit is provided with an entrance slit 20 closed by any suitable means such as a zipper or other suitable fastener and the peripheral edges of the garment may be provided with suitable piping, bias tape or the like designated by the numeral 22 and a tie string 24 may be provided at the upper end of the slit 20. The specific details of construction of the swimsuit may vary and form no part of the present invention except in the relationship of the float to the garment.

The float 12 includes an elongated belt-like member 26 of foam plastic material such as polyvinylchloride foam, polyurethane foam or any equivalent material capable of serving as a. float. This material is quite soft and flexible and is commercially available in that this type and configuration of member is employed in the belt-type float that is available for water skiers. The transverse cross-sectional configuration of the foam member 26 is generally rectangular as illustrated in FIGURE 4 and the member 26 is continuous across the front of the swimsuit while the end edges thereof generally coincide with the entrance slit 20 adjacent the bottom edge thereof. In a boys type garment, of course, there will be no entrance slit and the float will terminate at the rear waist region of the wearer.

The foam float member 26 is provided with a fabric covering 28 which may be of the same material and appearance as the swimsuit fabric 14 thereby rendering a neat and attractive float attached to the swimsuit. Connected with the outer panel of the fabric covering 28 is a web belt 30 secured thereto by stitching 32 at both the top and bottom edge of the belt thus securing -the belt to the front fabric panel 28. The ends of the belt 30 extend beyond the free ends of the float at the rear of the swimsuit with one end of the belt terminating in a loop 34 and the other end terminating in a snap hook 36 for detachable engagement with the loop. Any suitable type of snap hook or other type of hook may be employed for engagement with the ring 34 which may be conveniently a D ring.

FIGURE 5 illustrates the novel manner in which the float 26 is attached to the swimsuit fabric 14. This is accomplished by the inner panel 38 of the cover 28 and also the bottom panel 40 of the float cover fabric 28 which terminates in a downwardly extending panel 42 having a reverse fold 44 at the lower edge thereof and an upwardly extending flange or panel 48.

When covering the float with the fabric material the belt 30 is stitched to the fabric 28 and the belt is a conventional web-type belt such as those employed by football players. The cover is stitched across both ends and inwardly from the ends along the lower edge approximately six or eight inches. Excess fabric material is then trimmed from the raw edges of the seams to a point where the sewing was stopped and the cover is then turned so that the seams are inwardly disposed. The foam float 26 is then put into the cover leaving the unsewn part of seam outside. The cover is then stitched as close to the foam as possible across the front waistline of the suit from side seam to side seam. The under flap is trimmed off and the outer flap is turned under and stitched again to the suit. This makes a finished attachment and gives reinforcement to the seam that holds the float to the suit. The finished orientation of the stitching or seams is illustrated in FIGURE 5 with the seams being designated by numerals 50 and 52 respectively.

The orientation of the safety hooks or snap hooks at the rear prevents the child from unfastening it and since the float is directly stitched to or attached to the suit and fastened with the belt hook, the float is held in the proper position. It has been found that a float made of 27" x 5" x 1 /2" piece of polyvinylchloride foam is completely adequate and any pattern or design of swimsuit may be used. When the device is used with a boys swimsuit, the .float is attached in the same manner to the swimming trunks adjacent the upper edge thereof and still encircles the waist region of the wearer. Since the float incorporated with the swimsuit in the present device is comfortable, the child will keep the device on while playing outside of the swimming pool or the like and thus be protected from accidentally falling into a swimming pool, lake or the like. Also, the manner in which the float is attached to the swimsuit only at the lower edge thereof enables the float to be attached to either girls swimsuits or boys swimming trunks and also when the belt is disconnected by disconnecting the hooks, the float will be in such a position that it will be awkward thus making sure that the float will be properly fastened at all times in order for the device to be effectively used. The cover in which the panel 38 and the juncture of the panels 40 and 42 are secured by stitching 50 to the fabric 14 as close as possible to the float 26 together with the panel 42, the fold 44 and the panel 48 together with the stitching 52 serve to securely fix or attach the float to the garment and the fact that the stitching only extends from side seam to side seam of the swimsuit provides for ease of assembly and disassembly of the swimsuit since when the float is disconnected at the ends thereof, it hangs freely from the front thus enabling the child to more easily don the swimsuit without interference from the float.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A swimsuit construction comprising a body forming a swimsuit and constructed of fabric-type material, and a float means attached to the exterior of said body and disposed in the waist region thereof for encircling the waist region of a wearer, said float means comprising an elongated flexible buoyant member, a fabric cover for said member, means attaching the fabric cover to the body of the swimsuit, and belt means attached to the exterior mid portion of the fabric cover and having detachable means on the ends thereof for detachable engagement for retaining the float member in snug encircling relation to the waist area of the wearer, said belt means being in the form of a web belt stitched along the top and bottom edges thereof to the fabric cover for the float member, the detachable means on the ends of said belt including a hook and loop respectively for interconnection, the free ends of said float member being disposed at the rear of the swimsuit body, and said hook and loop being disposed at the rear of the swimsuit body thereby rendering the connection between the ends of the belt inaccessible to the wearer, said fabric cover for the float member including depending rear and bottom panels stitched to the body of the swimsuit at a point adjacent 'the bottom edge of the float member thereby securing the float member to the swimsuit only along the bottom edge thereof, the stitching connection between the fabric cover for the float member and the swimsuit extending only from side edge to side edge of the swimsuit across its front thus enabling the swimsuit to be more easily put on without interference from the float member.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said float member is in the form of a foam cellular plastic material of rectangular cross-sectional configuration for closely fitting the periphery of the wearer at the waist region thereof and being compact so that the arms of a swimmer will not engage the float member.

3. A swimsuit construction comprising a fabric body forming a swimsuit, float means attached to the exterior of said body and disposed in the waist region thereof for snugly encircling and engaging the waist region of the wearer, said float means including a float member of elongated construction and rectangular cross sectional configuration, said member being constructed of foamtype cellular material capable of flexing around the waist of a wearer but normally being straight, a fabric cover enclosing said float member, means securing a portion of the lower edge of the float member to the body of the swimsuit with the ends of the float member being free of the body, belt means attached to said fabric cover of the float member, means on the ends of the belt means for detachable engagement thereof for snugly retaining the float member in encircling relation to the waist of the wearer with the detachable means being disposed at the rear of the body so that it is inaccessible to the wearer, said belt means being engaged with the exterior mid-portion of the cover when the float member is disposed vertically above the point of attachment of the body, said cover being constructed of fabric material compatible with the material from which the body of the swimsuit is constructed, the bottom edge of said cover being attached to said swimsuit body along a double row of stitching for reinforcing the area of attachment.

4. A swimsuit construction comprising a body forming a swimsuit and constructed of fabric-type material, and a float means attached to the exterior of said body and disposed in the waist region thereof for encircling the waist region of a wearer, said float means comprising an elongated flexible buoyant member, a fabric cover for said member, means attaching the fabric cover to the body of the swimsuit, and belt means attached to the exterior midportion of the fabric cover and having detachable means on the ends thereof for detachable engagement for retaining the float member in snug encircling relation to the waist area of the wearer, said fabric cover for the float member including depending rear and bottom panels stiched to the body of the swimsuit at a point adjacent the bottom edge of the float member thereby securing the float member to the swimsuit only along the bottom edge thereof, the stitching connection between the fabric cover for the float member and the swimsuit extending only from side edge to side edge of the swimsuit across its front thus enabling the swimsuit to be more easily put on without interference from the float member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ayvad Jan. 7, 1919 Beaulieu Aug. 17, 1926 Journey Mar. 5, 1929 Wolshin July 10, 1956 Boyle Mar. 12, 1957 Pattison Aug. 30, 1960 Birchall Aug. 28, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS Italy Mar. 9, 1951 

4. A SWIMSUIT CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A BODY FORMING A SWIMSUIT AND CONSTRUCTED OF FABRIC-TYPE MATERIAL, AND A FLOAT MEANS ATTACHED TO THE EXTERIOR OF SAID BODY AND DISPOSED IN THE WAIST REGION THEREOF FOR ENCIRCLING THE WAIST REGION OF A WEARER, SAID FLOAT MEANS COMPRISING AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE BUOYANT MEMBER, A FABRIC COVER FOR SAID MEMBER, MEANS ATTACHING THE FABRIC COVER TO THE BODY OF THE SWIMSUIT, AND BELT MEANS ATTACHED TO THE EXTERIOR MIDPORTION OF THE FABRIC COVER AND HAVING DETACHABLE MEANS ON THE ENDS THEREOF FOR DETACHABLE ENGAGEMENT FOR RETAINING THE FLOAT MEMBER IN SNUG ENCIRCLING RELATION TO THE WAIST AREA OF THE WEARER, SAID FABRIC COVER FOR THE FLOAT MEMBER INCLUDING DEPENDING REAR AND BOTTOM PANELS STICHED TO THE BODY OF THE SWIMSUIT AT A POINT ADJACENT THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE FLOAT MEM- 